


Sea Shanties

by swcnsmagic



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Captain Swan - Freeform, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Nightmare, Post-Underworld, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-07
Updated: 2017-05-07
Packaged: 2018-10-29 05:42:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10847619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swcnsmagic/pseuds/swcnsmagic
Summary: Post Dark!Emma and Dark!Hook and after the Underworld, Emma struggles with nightmares, and asks Killian to sing for her.





	Sea Shanties

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Once day!!   
> I can't believe Captain Swan are getting married today oh god  
> Anyway, expect a few more fics to be uploaded tonight!

It had been several weeks since Killian had been sent back by Zeus to Emma. Several weeks since they had both been rid of the darkness that once plagued them. The magic may be gone, but the nightmares weren't.

It was Emma who was visited by the horrific visions tonight; it had been her for the majority of the time since they'd vanquished it. Killian seemed to be more adapted to controlling his subconscious, having spent centuries combatting the darkness. But Emma had never been anything but pure of heart and soul; being the product of True Love meant she was only ever kind. Being the Dark One had affected her more than she ever thought possible.

Tonight, her nightmare starred Killian, as it usually did.

_They were all gathered by the lake, friends and family, and all the previous Dark Ones. Instead of Killian leading them, it was Emma._

_The scenario played out just as it had before, with Emma having to kill Killian. But this time, she held no remorse, no emotion, no shame in what she was doing._

_The Dark Ones lived on, and Emma's family and friends were taken to the Underworld in their stead._

_But Emma wasn't playing her dark self in this scene; no, she was watching from a distance, acting as a bystander watching the events unfold. She saw the scene play out just as she had felt at the time; filled with despair and heartbreak at how she had to kill Killian._

_Shame washed over her at what she was witnessing; seeing herself so hungry for power and the darkness turned her stomach. It was something she had sworn she would never give in to, she would never become something as monstrous as Gold._

_Emma began screaming and sobbing at herself, only metres away, but nothing changed. A cruel and twisted smile danced across her double's lips as Killian sank to the ground, lifeless and limp. Her body was wracked with sobs and she shook violently, emotion pouring from every aspect of her._

Killian was jerked awake at the sound of Emma's cries and her body thrashing unconsciously. His heart broke at the sight, immediately recognising it as a nightmare she was having to endure.

Bundling her trembling body in his arms, he tried to coax her awake gently, holding her head to his chest and stroking the tangled tresses reverently. "Emma, darling, please wake up," he choked out.

Placing gentle kisses to her cheek, forehead, nose, wherever her could, he attempted to rouse her from the terror she was trapped in.

Moments passed with no avail, with Killian pleading with her, having shed several tears of his own. It wrenched his insides to see his Emma so powerless against the nightmares that plagued her in sleep. A loud scream in the form of Killian's name sounded from her mouth, followed by heaving breaths and heavy gasps and floods of more tears that only held pain.

He started to shake her, repeating her name over and over again, until finally her eyes shot open and he was faced with a tortured look on her face. Emma immediately clung to Killian, not uttering a word, but choking out sobs instead. "Shh, Emma, I'm here, darling. I'm here."

The words only brought on another onslaught of sobs and Emma's arms tightening around his waist.

It took around half an hour for Emma's cries to subside fully, for her to return to a more peaceful state. Killian remained at her side, rocking her back and forth in his arms as she calmed down. He uttered words of love and reassurance frequently, reminding her that he was still here, and was not going anywhere, not ever.

"Do you want to talk about it, love?" he asked gently.

Inhaling sharply, she simply nodded in response. Taking another deep breath, Emma started to explain.

Killian listened intently, grasping her hand in his and squeezing it when she told a particularly haunting part of the story. It broke his heart over and over again to hear of Emma's experience, to know that she thought of herself as power-hungry and merciless.

But what pained him most was when he remembered how she called out for him, grief-stricken and tormented.

"I watched myself kill you, Killian," she sobbed. "It made me sick. I fucking smiled after you collapsed!" Emma was angry at herself, ashamed at what she was telling him. He deserved much more than the broken orphan she was. She turned her head away, not being able to see the pain she knew would be marring his face.

Killian saw the loathing Emma bore, and cupped her cheek and turned her head back to him, begging her to look at him. "Emma, you must understand that your nightmares play on your worst fears. You're afraid of the darkness, of hurting the ones you love, of becoming heartless and cruel. You didn't play your dark self in the dream, did you? No. You were in the role of the Emma Swan I love, the one who only knows good." Despite the only light in the room being that of the moon that shone in drabs through the curtains, Emma could see clearly in his eyes that he was being nothing but truthful with her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

Seeing her so meek and broken was a blow to Killian; it was something he hoped he'd never have to endure, because Emma only deserved happiness. "Love, you've nothing to apologise for."

"I'm still sorry."

He knew it was pointless in arguing with her, so let the topic drop. "Go back to sleep, darling. I'll be here when you wake up," he urged gently.

"Can you sing for me?" she said suddenly.

Taken aback by the request, Killian stayed quiet for several beats. Emma took this as a no, looking away again.

"Forget I asked," she said quietly.

"Emma, I'd love to sing for you." "You would?"

"Aye, love. What do you want to hear?"

Pondering for a moment, an idea struck her. "Do you know any sea shanties? Or songs a sailor would sing?"

Killian smiled at the request. "I do indeed." She'd heard him sing before, but the moments were brief and always when he thought there was no one around. His voice was soft and rich, just as she'd suspected it would be.

He began singing a shanty that she didn't recognise, but hearing his voice soothed her and brought serenity to her mind. She had her head rested on his chest, with his arm clutching her waist, afraid to let her get too far from him.

It took several songs for Emma to slip back into sleep, one that this time wasn't riddled with fear. The last thing she was able to register was Killian singing a song that sounded like it was about a man being reunited with his love, and promising never to leave again.

"I'm here forever, Emma," he whispered after she fell asleep, and pressed a soft kiss to her hair.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! i'm open to requests, and reviews and kudos are appreciated!


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